2011 Tahoe/Real axle bearings Timken versus stock

[draper11]

I ordered Timken for my 2011 Tahoe LT off of Sixity auto. Different bearing depth with small built in seal versus stock bearing with separate stock seal. Im
Sending these back and going back with the stock arrangement. 220K mile preventive maintenance. Replacing tone rings while im in there.

 

[Miami-Dade]

@draper11 Moved you here from 2021 section.
Welcome from Miami!

 

[Doubeleive]

must be nice to have a press, good luck finding the correct bearings...
the rest of us just buy the whole unit

 

[Geotrash]

I ordered Timken for my 2011 Tahoe LT off of Sixity auto. Different bearing depth with small built in seal versus stock bearing with separate stock seal. Im
Sending these back and going back with the stock arrangement. 220K mile preventive maintenance. Replacing tone rings while im in there.

Never a bad idea but I’ve seen the originals go 400K+

 

[Sgt__Z]

I have to replace my rear axle seals on both sides. I was advised to replace the bearings too b/c I am going through the initial trouble. How easy/hard was it to remove the bearings as well? Anyone who views this please assist. I am trying to find a video of someone replacing the seal and bearing but I am only finding reference to the Silverado. I don't know if they are the same or not. Plus, did you lube the bearings and seal before your install and what did you use?

Chevy Tahoe 2011 SSV
4x4

 

[swathdiver]

I ordered Timken for my 2011 Tahoe LT off of Sixity auto. Different bearing depth with small built in seal versus stock bearing with separate stock seal. Im
Sending these back and going back with the stock arrangement. 220K mile preventive maintenance. Replacing tone rings while im in there.

Factory bearings are Timken or Koyo. What you are seeing is a repair bearing and seal unit used when the wear surface of the axle shaft is damaged. They move the bearing to a new position.

I have to replace my rear axle seals on both sides. I was advised to replace the bearings too b/c I am going through the initial trouble. How easy/hard was it to remove the bearings as well? Anyone who views this please assist. I am trying to find a video of someone replacing the seal and bearing but I am only finding reference to the Silverado. I don't know if they are the same or not. Plus, did you lube the bearings and seal before your install and what did you use?

Chevy Tahoe 2011 SSV
4x4

With the right tools it's easy. With the wrong tools you'll wreck the tone rings at the least.

The J-45857 and slide hammer is the best way to get these parts out without damaging the other. I also bought the Performance Tool W89326 and coupled with a commercial slide hammer set pulled the bearings but ruined the tone rings. It barely fit but it did the job.

The inside diameter of the axle tube is graduated so that you cannot put the tone rings in too deep. I used the J-45860 but you could get by with a large socket. Same with the J-23690. The seals could be installed with a 2x4 or very light taps of a hammer. I've done it both ways over the years.

You can save a lot of money by buying the parts in the AAM brand, the people that made the axle. 74050011 for the 8.6" Axle and 74050013 for the 9.5" Axle -

GM 9.5 Rear Axle Bearing Kit w/VSES 2007+ Sierra Silverado Chevy Suburban Tahoe Yukon | C&M Gearworks

The axle tubes are the same for all of the GMT900 1500s. So yes, videos of Yukons, Sierras, Silverados, all the same.

 

[Foggy]

Factory bearings are Timken or Koyo. What you are seeing is a repair bearing and seal unit used when the wear surface of the axle shaft is damaged. They move the bearing to a new position.



With the right tools it's easy. With the wrong tools you'll wreck the tone rings at the least.

View attachment 447981

The J-45857 and slide hammer is the best way to get these parts out without damaging the other. I also bought the Performance Tool W89326 and coupled with a commercial slide hammer set pulled the bearings but ruined the tone rings. It barely fit but it did the job.

The inside diameter of the axle tube is graduated so that you cannot put the tone rings in too deep. I used the J-45860 but you could get by with a large socket. Same with the J-23690. The seals could be installed with a 2x4 or very light taps of a hammer. I've done it both ways over the years.

You can save a lot of money by buying the parts in the AAM brand, the people that made the axle. 74050013 -

GM 9.5 Rear Axle Bearing Kit w/VSES 2007+ Sierra Silverado Chevy Suburban Tahoe Yukon | C&M Gearworks

View attachment 447982

The axle tubes are the same for all of the GMT900 1500s. So yes, videos of Yukons, Sierras, Silverados, all the same.

Is this kit only for the 9.5" (2wd rear) or the AWD 8.6".... maybe the same IDK?

 

[rdezs]

My 2014 all wheel drive Escalade has the 9.5 inch 14 bolt rear differential. The 8.5 in uses different bearings and seals. You might want to get under there and take a look at what you have so you get the right parts. Koyo bearings were OEM on the 9.5 in.... And come in the kit from AAM. (They build the axle assembly for GM)

At 168,000 mi, I had some excessive end play in the axles. The cause turned out to be the c-clips that retain the axles. Those come in the AAM kit by the way, along with the koyo bearings.

To pull the bearing without damaging the tone ring, I picked up a set of blind hole bearing pullers. One was slightly too large, turned it down on the lathe to just the right size. 5 lb slide hammer pulled it out easy enough.

The where on the seat clips was quite visible. Here's a new one from the kit next to the old one

The groove from the seal can be cleaned up. However at a set of new axles from Spicer, so went ahead and installed them

I tend to go a little Overkill, taking care of things while I'm in there.... But it's all done and ready for another 168,000 miles. Next time maybe I'll just replace those c clips and save some money

 

[swathdiver]

Is this kit only for the 9.5" (2wd rear) or the AWD 8.6".... maybe the same IDK?

Good catch, Thanks! The 8.6" kit is 74050011 and the only difference is the C-clips.

Wheel seals and bearings and tone rings are the same between the 8.6" 10-Bolt and 9.5" 14-Bolt Saginaw axles.

 

[rdezs]

Are you sure the bearings are the same? I would double check, as there's a couple different flavors of the 9.5 semi-floating axle with the 14 bolt cover. I have the same differential on my Hummer H2... And the axle bearings are quite a bit larger in diameter. The seal is larger as well. RockAuto also shows different part numbers for the 8.5 in versus the 9.5 in

You need to order the correct bearings per the RPO code

 

[swathdiver]

Are you sure the bearings are the same? I would double check, as there's a couple different flavors of the 9.5 semi-floating axle with the 14 bolt cover. I have the same differential on my Hummer H2... And the axle bearings are quite a bit larger in diameter. The seal is larger as well. RockAuto also shows different part numbers for the 8.5 in versus the 9.5 in

You need to order the correct bearings per the RPO code

Yes, they are the same between the two axles used on our GMT900 SUVs and Pickups. I have both.

 

[j91z28d1]

I have to replace my rear axle seals on both sides. I was advised to replace the bearings too b/c I am going through the initial trouble. How easy/hard was it to remove the bearings as well? Anyone who views this please assist. I am trying to find a video of someone replacing the seal and bearing but I am only finding reference to the Silverado. I don't know if they are the same or not. Plus, did you lube the bearings and seal before your install and what did you use?

Chevy Tahoe 2011 SSV
4x4

I am not sure what bearings this thread started out about, almost looks like front bearings. but now for the rear.

my experience is I noticed a rear seal leaking at 140k ish. I've had good luck on other cars and trucks with the timken fixer bearings that move the bearing to a fresh part of the axle and has a built in seal. so I pulled the old bearings even thou they looked good and installed the new ones.

ended up being a complete and total failure, with the g80 locker rear diff,(open diff they will probably work) you gotta push the axle inward so much to get the c clip back in, it damaged the seal on the new bearings and they leaked badly on both sides.

ended up stopping by a gm parts department and buying 2 new oem seals, put the original bearings back in, installed the new seals. hasn't had a problem since.


my 2 cents is if you pull the alxes out to change the seals, if the part of the axle that rides on the bearings is smooth and not pitted at all. Just replace the seals and put it back together. if it's pitted, you'll need to buy new axles and new(oem) seals/bearings.

if you do need to pull the bearings, there's a cheap puller kit on Amazon that works without messing up the tone ring that's about a 1/4in behind the bearing. better not to remove that if you don't have to add the extra hassle. install depth on it is pretty important.

mine is the small 8.5in diff. if you have the bigger 14 bolt, your experience might be different.

 

[petethepug]

Lots of good info on those front bearings and the rebuild process.

 

[swathdiver]

if you do need to pull the bearings, there's a cheap puller kit on Amazon that works...

mine is the small 8.5in diff. if you have the bigger 14 bolt, your experience might be different.

Got a part number for the Amazon kit?

Axle tubes are the same between the 8.6" and 9.5".

 

[j91z28d1]

Got a part number for the Amazon kit?

Axle tubes are the same between the 8.6" and 9.5".

https://a.co/d/9UJmUkr

is the one I used. got the part number from another gm board buried in a axle bearing thread. you'll need a slid hammer for this to screw into.

 

[rdezs]

Axle tubes are the same between the 8.6" and 9.5".

 

[rdezs]

 

[swathdiver]

https://a.co/d/9UJmUkr

is the one I used. got the part number from another gm board buried in a axle bearing thread. you'll need a slid hammer for this to screw into.

That's the one I used that barely fit and wrecked the tone ring. Maybe it was me.

View attachment 448015

Oh boy, where are you getting this information? Google?



Ok, this ought to settle it. The axle under the work bench is my spare 9.5" out of a 2011 Escalade. The axle on my driveway is the 8.6" from my Yukon XL.

These are Saginaw axles used on the GMT900 wagons and pickups. My pickups have the same 9.5" axles, just different brackets of course as they have a leaf spring rear suspension.

 

[j91z28d1]

huh. slid right behind the bearing for mine. I used it twice, once for the oem bearings and once to pull failed timkins back out. no tone ring issue.

I did you the one on the small size that only grabs the rollers, not the outer race.

maybe I just got lucky my tone ring is installed slightly further back?

 

[swathdiver]

huh. slid right behind the bearing for mine. I used it twice, once for the oem bearings and once to pull failed timkins back out. no tone ring issue.

I did you the one on the small size that only grabs the rollers, not the outer race.

maybe I just got lucky my tone ring is installed slightly further back?

The tone rings only go so far back, the tube is stepped to stop them. Maybe the tone rings were just coming apart when we put the tool in there. The factory one fit better and was slimmer but the slide hammer threads didn't match. Either way, you've shown us that it does work and it's certainly less expensive than the factory tools!